BUFFALO, N.Y. – Timothy S. Woodean, 53, of Ransomville, New York, is headed to federal prison after admitting his role in a decade-long marijuana smuggling operation. Woodean was sentenced to 18 months behind bars by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today.
The scheme, which ran from 2002 to April 2010, involved the large-scale importation of marijuana from Canada. Woodean conspired with Edward C. Lynch and Bonnie R. Gordon, along with other unnamed individuals, to move at least 100 kilograms of the drug into the United States. The operation wasn’t about small-time dealing; this was a coordinated effort to flood Niagara County with Canadian-sourced marijuana.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who prosecuted the case, the smugglers employed a crude but effective method: stuffing spare tires with marijuana and driving them across the border. Once inside the U.S., these vehicles would head to various locations within Niagara County, where the tires were dismantled and the contraband extracted for distribution. This wasn’t just a one-off operation – it was a well-oiled machine.
The marijuana wasn’t destined for end-users. Woodean and his crew sold multi-kilogram quantities to suppliers, who then pushed the drugs further down the chain. The financial side of the operation was equally brazen. Money generated from the marijuana sales was pooled, smuggled *back* into Canada, and used to pay for the initial bulk purchases. A classic case of dirty money moving both ways across the border.
Woodean isn’t the first to fall in this case. Both Lynch and Gordon have already been convicted and sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. The investigation, conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, demonstrates a sustained effort to dismantle this cross-border drug network.
While 18 months is the sentence for Woodean, this case serves as a stark reminder that moving large quantities of illegal drugs carries significant federal penalties. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and report on the fallout from this Niagara County drug ring. Contact Barbara Burns at (716) 843-5817 for further information.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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